Chapter 405

The Fire Elder was about to add a warning remark, but saw the Lady Feng, clad in a seven-colored long robe, slowly raise her snow-white wrist and say calmly: "Fire Elder, rest assured—I have my own measure."

The Fire Elder smiled and said, "Old man naturally trusts the Lady."

Hearing Lady Feng's words and seeing her expression, Fei Tian swallowed the advice he had been about to offer; too many words invite error, and he truly had no right to say much more.

The woman in the colorful robe smiled faintly, her smile revealing an unmistakable coldness; though her words were polite, her heart remained indifferent even toward Fei Tian.

Her beautiful eyes swept the area below, then slowly closed.

Now, all she needed to do was wait for the energy tide to begin, then reach Tian Shan Xue Tan at the fastest speed possible; since the other three Pavilions had also sent their most gifted young disciples, she too would win this contest.

As for that Xiao Yan, his Eight Star Dou Zong cultivation seems merely to escort Yan Alliance disciples up the mountain; once the energy tide begins, the Soul Body's Soul Force cannot be used.

Many doubted Xiao Yan's strength, and she shared that same doubt.

After waiting a full day, the energy in this realm suddenly surged violently.

The vast, mist-shrouded Heaven Eye Mountain Range now resembled an ancient Fierce Beast about to awaken; deep, rumbling booms echoed from high above the mountains, and with those thunderous sounds came an overwhelming, sky-filling torrent of energy.

A roaring, crashing sound erupted as the entire Heaven Eye Mountain Range's energy churned wildly; in the end, it even produced waves like ocean surges—a strange sight that even startled Xiao Yan; nature truly held endless wonders.

Thanks to his exceptional Soul Perception, Xiao Yan could sense more clearly than anyone else just how terrifying the energy level within the five-colored tide had become.

"Tsk tsk tsk, nature really is marvelous—this energy tide truly has the power to trigger breakthroughs," Xiao Yan chuckled. As if triggered by the starting gun of a sprint race, the dense crowd below surged en masse up the mountain.

Wings of Dou Qi unfolded, various Body Techniques and Dou Techniques erupted—each displayed their own unique prowess!

Xiao Yan was in no hurry; his goal was to escort the Yan Alliance disciples up the mountain.

This dense crowd could not possibly consist entirely of Nine Star Dou Huang; Xiao Yan even spotted individuals with Dou Wang strength. Many hoped to chance their luck—if fortune favored them and they could break through, it might lay a foundation for their future Dou Zong breakthrough.

"Strange, I haven't seen any Yan Alliance disciples yet. Did they get turned back?" Xiao Yan scratched his head; could it be that Yan Alliance disciples had been driven off by the Thunder and Wind Pavilion? That would be too embarrassing!

Then Xiao Yan's gaze flicked sideways and saw Lady Feng's giant crane spread its wings, leading the way as it flew down the mountain. She smiled lightly, her slender waist turning as she lightly stepped on the crane's head; lightning flashed beneath her feet, and she shot forward like a streak of colored light—her speed surpassed many low-level Dou Zong!

The Three Thousand Thunder Steps truly had reason for its fame; at least its running speed was indeed extremely fast.

Lady Feng's speed naturally stirred waves of envy among those below; her fluttering colorful robe made her look like a celestial fairy.

Xiao Yan shrugged, and his immensely powerful Spirit Realm Soul Body instantly emerged from his body.

"Huh? This energy tide suppresses Soul Force?" Xiao Yan paused; no wonder the old man had said one would lose direction in the mist of the energy tide without a map—this tide suppressed Soul Force.

Even Xiao Yan's Soul Force, at the Spirit Realm level, was suppressed by more than half. Still, even with just a fraction remaining, his perception range remained vast.

Xiao Yan had many ways to reach the summit—he could use Bone Wings or summon Xing Tian—but he ultimately preferred not to draw too much attention; instead, he stepped on tree branches and used the long-neglected Explosion Step to surge straight toward the peak.

Although Yun Yun's Explosion Step was only Heavenly Grade Mid Rank, it depended on who used it; with a series of explosive sounds, Xiao Yan's body, hands clasped behind his back, shot upward like a rocket.

Hearing the explosive sounds behind him, Lady Feng's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly as she turned her head; within two breaths, Xiao Yan had overtaken her—faster than her Three Thousand Thunder Steps!

The sudden appearance startled her; she immediately narrowed her eyes, clenched her Jade Hand toward the figure ahead, and instantly a violent suction force roared out with a whoosh.

"Huh?" Xiao Yan swayed slightly; seeing Lady Feng's attempt to block him, he merely smiled faintly, as if watching a child. He flicked his wrist backward, and a powerful gust of wind surged from his sleeve; the two invisible forces collided midair.

With a turn, Xiao Yan stood smiling atop a giant tree, gazing at the woman whose expression had grown cold.

"Kuang! Who is that kid? He just passed Lady Feng and entered the mountain?"

"Hah! I said it—among so many people, a dark horse would emerge; didn't expect it so soon!"

"Huh? Wait, that guy looks like a Dou Zong."

"Dou Zong? Which old bastard is so shameless?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan felt a bit embarrassed; after all, Tian Shan Xue Tan was meant to be the battlefield for Dou Huang, and for a Dou Zong to show up here felt somewhat shameless.

"Cough, I won't stop you from going up—I'm not here to compete for a spot," Xiao Yan said calmly to Lady Feng of the Thunder and Wind Pavilion.

Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Lady Feng's eyes instantly turned icy; Do you think I need your permission?!

"Hmph!" A sharp whistling sound suddenly pierced the air; a colorful silk ribbon shot from her sleeve, bristling with sharp, cutting wind.

Though the ribbon appeared to be made of fabric, it faintly shimmered with a metallic luster—clearly no ordinary item.

Seeing the colorful ribbon streaking toward him like a venomous snake, Xiao Yan slowly shook his head, flicked his sleeve, and a cluster of Black Flame shot out.

Boom! The Black Flame collided with the ribbon; the Void Swallowing Flame Earth Sub Flame instantly unleashed its terrifying devouring power; the Black Flame became a black thread that stretched upward along the ribbon.

Seeing her precious Seven-Colored Ribbon being burned, the fire thread approaching, Lady Feng's cheeks grew slightly cold; a powerful Dou Qi of alternating azure and silver, as if fused from storm and thunder, surged along the ribbon and slammed violently into the fire thread.

Rip! The two forces clashed, and the ribbon snapped in half; the Void Swallowing Flame Earth Sub Flame completely burned the severed ribbon into nothingness before slowly vanishing.

"Huh? Dual attributes?" Xiao Yan's eyes flashed; he hadn't expected this noble woman in the seven-colored robe to possess the rare Special Physique of Wind and Thunder duality.

Though every Alchemist has Fire and Wood duality, the Wood attribute is extremely weak; Xiao Yan's Dou Qi is almost entirely Fire; he rarely uses Wood Dou Qi except during Spirit Refining.

But this Wind and Thunder duality is different—she possesses both attributes equally, fifty-fifty, no more, no less.

Like special dual-attribute Heavenly Flames such as Wind Wrath Dragon Flame, Bone Spirit Cold Fire, and Sea Heart Flame, combining both forces creates immense power when fused.

The two attributes, when combined, unleash even greater strength and allow cultivation of Dou Techniques of different attributes.

If Xiao Yan hadn't misjudged, this Lady Feng was simultaneously cultivating two different attribute Cultivation Methods, fusing both Dou Qi into a stronger Wind-Thunder Fusion Dou Qi.

Though this Special Physique isn't as monstrous as Xiao Yixian's Eternal Calamity Poison Body or Qing Lin's Qi San Hua Tong, its greatest advantage is the absence of side effects.

"That's a Heavenly Flame? You're Xiao Yan." Though she couldn't identify the Void Swallowing Flame Earth Sub Flame, its terrifying power was unmistakably a Heavenly Flame; and the fact that Xiao Yan was an Alchemist who possessed a Heavenly Flame was known throughout the Thunder and Wind Pavilion.

The commotion between Xiao Yan and Lady Feng naturally drew a crowd; those nearby were stunned upon hearing this.

"That man is Xiao Yan!"

"Kuang! He actually showed up!"

"I heard Xiao Yan is a Seventh-Rank Alchemist who possesses a Heavenly Flame—his Alchemist talent is extraordinary!"

Countless eyes stared in shock at the figure standing atop the tree; Xiao Yan's name in the North Domain was well-known and formidable.

At that moment, three immensely powerful auras descended instantly, locking onto Xiao Yan; Xiao Yan didn't even need to look—he knew these were the two elders guarding Lady Feng and Pavilion Master Fei Tian.

"Lady, are you alright?" the old woman hurriedly asked; she didn't want anything to happen to this Lady—her behind's Faction could erase the Thunder and Wind Pavilion with a mere gesture.

Lady Feng waved her hand. "I'm fine."

"Two Six Star Dou Zong, one Eight Star Dou Zong—what a nuisance," Xiao Yan muttered to himself. If he used Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Changes, he could raise his Cultivation Realm to Eight Star Dou Zong—but Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Changes was a Secret Technique with side effects.

Here, his Soul Force was suppressed, making it hard to use Soul Techniques; if a real battle broke out, Xiao Yan would have to fight for a long time—and if Yan Alliance disciples failed to secure a top-ten spot, he'd have made this trip for nothing.

Xiao Yan shrugged, leapt lightly backward, and dropped straight down from the treetop, vanishing into the fog as he instantly donned his Soul Robe and concealed his aura.

After thinking it over, Xiao Yan decided against it—there were too many people here; if his identity as a member of the Soul Hall were exposed, he wouldn't even be able to attend the Pill Gathering!

"Gone?!" Fei Tian frowned; in just an instant, Xiao Yan's aura had vanished completely.

"Miss, shall we accompany you up the mountain?" the old fire cultivator asked hastily.

"No. This is the battlefield of the Young Generation—you guard the other disciples as they train." The Phoenix Lady waved her hand; she had no intention of relying on faction power.

"But Xiao Yan's strength isn't weak." The old fire cultivator had felt the brief contact—he knew Xiao Yan was a genuine Three-Star Dou Zong, not one boosted by Elixir.

"Hmph, once I ascend to Dou Zong, I'll cut him down!" Her eyes grew cold; she had many clan techniques yet unspent. A mere Three-Star Dou Zong meant nothing—once she entered the Tian Shan Xue Tan and broke through to Dou Zong, she'd have nothing to fear!

As soon as she spoke, the woman in the colorful skirt tapped the ground with her toe, her figure fluttering like a dancing butterfly as she retreated swiftly, vanishing into the thick fog.

"Too bad they didn't fight. I wonder who would've won if they had." The crowd around them couldn't help but feel disappointed at how the two simply walked away.

"Come on, Xiao Yan's already a Dou Zong—if not for those three, the Phoenix Lady might've been in danger today."

"Pfft, relying on cultivation level? Once the Phoenix Lady enters the Tian Shan Xue Tan and breaks through to Dou Zong, who wins is far from certain."

"Hehe, they're not fighting now just to conserve strength. The Heaven Eye Mountain Range is full of powerful demons, and around the Tian Shan Xue Tan, they're even denser. Without real skill, trying to push through the beast packs would only mean dying for nothing—but when they reach their destination, a fierce battle between the Yan Alliance and the Wind-Thunder Pavilion is inevitable."

Murmurs drifted for a moment, then the crowd dispersed. No one noticed a figure in a Black Robe, face hidden, performing the trademark gesture of rubbing his nose.

"This little brat may be young, but her mouth is huge. Even bigger than Nalan Yanran's." Xiao Yan sighed wryly—ascending to Dou Zong and cutting him down? That was exactly what Nalan Yanran had said back then: "I'll beat you in three years!"

Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly and vanished into the fog.

Whether fate or misfortune, in another part of the Heaven Eye Mountain Range, Nalan Yanran was indeed here!

"If you keep following me, don't blame my Black Sword for drinking blood." A clear, melodious sigh echoed through the fog—its voice was beautiful, and its owner must surely be a beauty.

If Xiao Yan were here, he'd instantly recognize it—this was none other than Nalan Yanran!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Three sharp whistles cut through the fog, and three men in yellow robes appeared, each wearing the same Class Badge on their chests—they belonged to the same Faction.

All three were Four-Star Dou Huang, formidable in strength.

"Hand over the Jing Ling Bai Hu. We've crushed flowers before." One of them barked.

Nalan Yanran wore a pale green dress that clung perfectly to her curvaceous figure, her full form undeniably alluring. Her long black hair was loosely tied with a green silk ribbon, cascading down to her hips. Her youthful, beautiful face was unmistakable—she was none other than Nalan Yanran, who had long boasted of challenging Xiao Yan.

Compared to when she broke off their engagement ten years ago, she had shed all the arrogant, wild arrogance of the Nan Lan Clan's young lady. Every gesture now exuded a captivating, mature allure. The once spoiled girl had truly blossomed into a beauty capable of toppling nations.

Especially her cold, piercing gaze—like a sharp blade.

Nalan Yanran cradled a small white fox, its fur snow-white and impossibly soft. Her Jade Hand stroked the fox's fur, and the little creature let out a contented, low whimper.

One could understand—such a cute little fox held great appeal for women.

"Hehe, maybe before crushing flowers, we should do something gentle for them." One of them licked his lips.

Nalan Yanran slowly raised her head, her eyes flashing a bone-chilling killing intent—her Seven-Star Dou Huang aura was so sharp it made skin ache.

"Life and opportunity come but once." Nalan Yanran's voice was icy.

"Hmph, so what if you're a Seven-Star Dou Huang? All three of us are Four-Star Dou Huang—we're from the same sect, and together we fear no Eight-Star Dou Huang! Capturing a Seven-Star Dou Huang is no challenge." One yellow-robed man stared hungrily at Nalan Yanran, licking his lips, his eyes filled with lewdness.

"The Earth Spirit Sect really does produce trash." Nalan Yanran shook her head, placed the little white fox on her shoulder, and drew the Yun Sha Black Sword from her space ring.

Seeing her draw her sword, the three men grew serious—they'd heard of the Yan Alliance's Female Sword God, Nalan Yanran—but the Jing Ling Bai Hu was too important.

"Earth Spirit, Earth Fusion Technique!"

The three shouted in unison; deep yellow Dou Qi rapidly coalesced before one of them. The powerful combined energy of all three formed a massive yellow earth dragon that surged upward, straight toward Nalan Yanran. Along its path, a deep trench split the ground like a plow's furrow.

Seeing the earth dragon appear, Nalan Yanran showed no surprise. Her Black Sword unsheathed, and the surrounding mist churned violently as heavenly forces roared!

"Wind's Extreme, Meteor Fall!"

Shhh—light flashed. Time seemed to halt. Whoosh—the fog around them was cleaved apart by the sword, revealing vast open space.

The three Earth Spirit Sect men stared wide-eyed, mouths opening as if to scream—but no sound came out.

The massive yellow earth dragon cracked, cracked, cracked—within moments, its head and body split apart, crashing heavily to the ground, the dragon dissolving back into earth.

The last thing the three Earth Spirit Sect men saw was their own bodies. Before they could even think, they lost their lives. Puff! Puff! Puff! Three blood spouts erupted, and a large pool of blood quickly spread across the ground.

Nalan Yanran did not sheathe the Yun Sha Black Sword. The Black Sword hung downward, point aimed at the earth, poised for instant counterattack, her gaze sharp as she stared at a branch of a nearby tree.

Though she had no special talent, her Soul Perception was naturally acute—even amid surging energy, she sensed things others missed, which was how she discovered the unique Jing Ling Bai Hu.

And she knew these three Earth Spirit Sect men were merely pawns, manipulated by someone else. They never imagined they'd be beheaded before they could even cry for help.

A man in deep yellow robes, his face marked by a scar, sat slouched on the branch, leaning against the trunk. Even after witnessing her devastating sword strike, his gaze remained lazy as he looked at Nalan Yanran and said calmly, "No wonder you're the Yan Alliance's Female Sword God—your sword is incredibly sharp. Among those I know, only Tang Ying's blade surpasses yours."

Nalan Yanran glanced at the scarred man, her tone emotionless: "Then your eyesight is poor."

If Xiao Yan were here, he'd definitely complain: "Are you really Nalan Yanran? You're never like this!"

(End of Chapter)